Hi, everyone! This is Fall Program week 7 out of 8... This is the final week for biweekly delivery members. We'd like to extend a special thank you for your participation and best wishes for a happy, healthy, safe holiday season and new year! There is one final week, next week, for weekly members, and biweekly pickup members.
We hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving!
Introducing...
The December One-Time Kitchen Booster Share!
Although our season ends on December 12th, we know we'll have a bit of a surplus. We'd like to invite you to "boost up" your kitchen contents with this one-time pickup on Tuesday, December 22nd from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The value of the share will be $20 and will most likely include a mix of root crops, greens, and onion family crops. If we have more to spare, we'll open the store that day for some add-ons. However, this is the best way to guarantee farm fresh produce one last time, perhaps just in time for Christmas if you celebrate.
Click here to order your one-time share (which will include a typical newsletter, like this one!):
Last week, we let you know that the free mugs for the early bird registration perks have been ordered. Unfortunately I'm dealing with some major customer service issues from the company we chose to order from and they now tell me that they have NO estimated delivery date and the mugs are still listed as "in production." I'm pretty disappointed, and spent last Friday on the phone asking for more information, which I wasn't given. The last thing that we want to do is let you all down. If we have to cancel our order and switch companies, we certainly will, but my fear is that we now don't know when the mugs will arrive. Please stay tuned for more updates about it, as I'll continue to call the company and request information.
One of Randy's big tasks this past weekend was working with his dad, Ed, to frame the ends of our hardening house to become greenhouse #2. We felt that we weren't using the hardening house the way it was meant to be used (but in a good way - we didn't need it!) so we decided to close it all the way in to become a second greenhouse. Our greenhouse in the spring is packed too tightly with seedlings, potted plants, and hanging baskets, and so it's time to spread it all out, and even expand our early spring flower offerings. Both Randy and his dad are super handy, so the sides are framed, there's just a little bit more to do with finalizing the doors. The last step is to hang the plastic over the sides so that it's insulated.
Randy and I also received "his and hers" Johnny's Seed catalogs for 2021 planning purposes. Randy is in charge of all of the veggie seeds, and uses a few different companies to round out his offerings. Although he's nailed down which varieties he likes the best of certain crops, he always experiments with a few new things, too. We decided there are certain veggies we won't attempt again: sweet potatoes aren't impressing us, for one. We've also decided to grow less hot peppers, and no beet greens during the summer months. But there are also a few veggie varieties that I'm sure Randy has his eye on trying (remember the yellow watermelons that were a huge hit?!). I'll be in charge of herbs and flowers for the landscaping alongside our greenhouse, and even some seeds for our garden starter seedling kits that were super popular last spring (and another reason we need more greenhouse space!) We're looking forward to curling up with the catalogs this winter, and most seed ordering is done by mid-January.
Finally, the store is all decorated for the holidays. We will not be ordering any more cheese, pasta, sauce, grains, tea, coffee, honey, or syrup for the remainder of the year, so we encourage you to stock up while we still have the items in store. We're also offering some sales on the following items:
Coffee - Bags are regularly $15.99. They will now be 2 for $24 (must buy two).
Dried pastas - Regularly $4. Now $3 each.
Tea - Jars are regularly $10 each. They are now 2 for $18 (must buy two).
We are hoping to get one last shipment of meat for next week. Fingers crossed!
Spotlight on Parsnips:
Parsnips are root vegetables related to both carrots and parsley. The plant is actually a biennial plant, meaning it lives for two years, but grown as an annual so that the root can be eaten. If you wanted to harvest the seed, you'd wait until the second year to do so; at that point, the root would be woody and inedible. The root is very flavorful and sweet, and like carrots and certain hardy greens, the parsnip even gets sweeter after it is touched by frost. Parsnips are best enjoyed in soups and roasted.
A Message from Randy:
The Uncrating:
Contents (In approximate order from shortest shelf life to longest):
Small:
1-2 heads of escarole
1/2 lb. of leeks
1/2 lb. of parsnips
2 kohlrabi
1 lb. of potatoes
1 butternut squash
Large:
1-2 heads of escarole
1 lb. of leeks
1/2 lb. bag of spinach
1 bunch of parsley
3/4 lb. of parsnips
2 kohlrabi
1 lb. of potatoes
1 butternut squash
Garlic
Caring For Your Share:
Wash all before using:
Store kohlrabi and parsnips in a Ziploc bag in the fridge.
Store the escarole in a Ziploc bag in the fridge. The spinach bag can also be stored in the fridge as is. Wash and spin out when ready to use.
Store the butternut squash, garlic, and potatoes in a cool, dark place such as a pantry. Put in a location where they will get some air flow. Keep out of the fridge and keep the garlic and potatoes separate. The butternut squash will last for months, but is ready to eat now.
Store the leeks in the fridge as is, leaving the outer layers on for protection. Remove the outer layers if necessary when ready to use.
Wrap the parsley in a damp paper towel and store it in a Ziploc bag in the fridge. You can also dry it if you don't plan to use it right away.
LGF Cooking Club:
Feeling adventurous? Try this Roasted Parsnips with Caramel & Sour Cream recipe:
Roasted Garlic, Parsnip, & White Bean Soup (substitute in one of the kohlrabi for extra parsnips in the recipe):
Spicy Kohlrabi Noodles:
Kohlrabi Noodles with Bacon and Parmesan (adapt for 2 bulbs):
Creamy, Dreamy Kohlrabi Soup with Cress (also potatoes and parsnips):
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto (thank you for the inspiration, Norma!)
Butternut Squash, Leek, and Gruyere Tart:
30 Minute Potato Leek Soup:
Braised Escarole and Beans (serve with sausage, chicken thighs, and/or crusty bread):
Mustardy Escarole Salad with Grilled Cheese Croutons:
Cooking Tip(s) of the Week:
How to Clean Leeks for Beginners:
Biweekly Catch-up Time:
Believe it or not, Randy has already ordered bulbs for next spring's plant sale! We hope to double our hanging flower basket production this spring, as well as add some more flower pots to the mix, including some daffodils and tulips. All of the bulbs will be tucked away soon. Speaking of which, all of our garlic has now been planted! The last step is to cover the rows with a heavy mulching of leaves from a local landscaping company to keep them insulated from the winter elements. It's wild to already be thinking about next season, but we can certainly use some things to look forward to!
We're looking ahead to the future, but also appreciating our history. These receipts were shared with us by a family friend, who used to receive a Laurel Glen Farm milk delivery from Randy's great uncle Pete back when we were a dairy. These receipts are all from the 1960s! Check out the price of milk...
Turnips vs. Rutabagas
Turnips and rutabagas are similar in many ways, but very different in flavor. Turnips are a brighter white and purple color and rounder in appearance. In contrast, rutabaga is imperfectly spherical, sometimes more oblong, and a more earthy-gray shade of purple with an orange tinge. When cooked, rutabaga will appear orange. Both are turnip crops, but the rutabaga is a newer European cultivar - a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. As such, the rutabaga is a bit sweeter, and the turnip is spicier. In Scotland, rutabagas are called "neeps!" Neat, huh? Both need to be peeled well before cooked, though the recommended technique of cooking is the same: boiled or roasted, mashed or fried into pancakes, accented with butter and salt, sour cream, or cheese. Can you now tell the difference between the two below? Which is which?
The top image is... turnips! Rutabaga was on the bottom.